Feedback is important. But it is difficult to give and uncomfortable to hear. It is generally focused on the past, and often on what someone did wrong. Even when the negative is “sandwiched” by two positives, the negative always rings louder. Because we cannot change the past, our default response to feedbacks focused on the past is often defensive.
Ask “What can I do better (in the future)?” Not “What did I do wrong (in the past)?”
This way, you can be focused on hearing the suggestions without becoming defensive. People react better to ideas they can still act on in the future.
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